The assignee of the present invention manufactures and deploys spacecraft for, inter alia, communications and broadcast services. Market demands for such spacecraft have imposed increasingly stringent requirements on spacecraft payloads. For example, broadband service providers desire spacecraft with increased data rate capacity at higher EIRP through each of an increased number of user spot beans operable from geosynchronous orbit altitudes in communication with small (<1 meter aperture) user terminals.
The manufacture and repair of feed arrays for such spacecraft present a number of challenges. By way of example, since many components of conventional feed arrays are highly integrated, it is typically difficult to remove components from conventional feed arrays. Due to testing sensitivity of components within feed arrays, some disassembly and repair work may be needed in severely limited areas of access for repairing conventional feed arrays. Furthermore, due to the integration of components of conventional feed arrays, sequential installation of components is often necessary during manufacture of conventional feed arrays.
Traditionally, in order to allow rework-ability of conventional feed arrays, components are often mechanically tied together and spaced far apart. Such placement and mechanical tying add both support mass and volume. Therefore, it can be challenging to manufacture a high capacity feed array that is relatively compact and low mass using existing techniques.
As such, improved techniques for implementing feed arrays with modular components are desirable.